What's Up, and What's Down
I feel like I've been off-line for years although the calendar says it's only been a week. I was on my own last night and decided to get through a couple of things I'd been putting off; a one episode re-watch for B5, some writing, and a lot of reading. R and the boys were camping with the Scouts so I had the tv to myself and could do that pause-and-take-notes thing that bothers others.
But my little netbook wouldn't boot, and you may recall my big laptop died several weeks ago. R's laptop was upstairs, and #1's but it just all seemed like too much effort. So I tried to read the new Elizabeth George mystery and watch X-Files (having finally decided to skip Sanguinarium cause ick). The book was pretty bad (I used to really like George but she needs an editor, stat. Plus the characters have morphed into people I don't know and don't particularly like any more. Even Havers, though she's the best of a bad lot.) The X-Files was okay; Krycek is back and I got to see Skinner without his shirt, so not a total loss. The black-eyed stuff freaks me out and made me think of a crossover with Lyta and Krycek and the aliens and the Shadows. But I'm computer-less :(
The last time I had computer trouble I kept writing, on paper, on other's computers, but not this time. I haven't written much at all for a couple of months now. I think it's a downswing or maybe the last petering out I've been dreading but also possibly not.
This morning I got my little Acer to boot up and started my emergency routine. First I off-loaded WIPs that were not backed up anywhere else to a key. Then I set up the portable DVD R got me a while ago (netbooks have no optical drive by and large) and backed-up my files. It's kind of interesting to note the order in which I do this. Most of my files, in number, are text file which are small, in size. I start with the Documents file which has all my writing, tons of research, personal and house stuff-- then the loose bits on the desktop (some of which were the WIPs already saved to my key), then Pictures, and finally the big honking music files. I made myself do those alphabetically so I didn't lose track. The music is the least important since I have burned CDs of most everything on there. It would be a pain to re-rip them but it could be done. I don't listen to music on my netbook much in any case. It's a writing machine first and foremost.
So I need to get that new computer I've been putting off getting. Part of the delay is due to finances. Not that I can pay for it outright in any case, but we have a financed HVAC system that'll be paid off in June (yay!). Part of the delay is havering over make and model. I have three in mind--another HP (which would be a triumph of hope over experience), a Samsung, and an ASUS (late entry but nice). These are all mid-range machines, not too expensive but not cheap either. I've given myself multiple headaches trying to read reviews and piece together the pros and cons of each.
*sigh* I hate decisions like this.
I'm going to try and post the last part of Memory today. It's on my key now so I can do it from R's machine. I put the whole thing up on AO3 already, and the last piece has already been uploaded to ff.net so it's trivial to publish it there. Coincidentally I'm up to Memory in the Vorkosigan saga. I've read this one before, but when I read it before I was missing great tracks of storyline (I'd missed Brothers in Arms and Mirror Dance so Mark who? kept running through my mind.) It's better this way if a bit painful. Miles doesn't go as far down the rabbit hole as I would have in his situation, but he's more manic than depressive so that makes sense. I'm liking Ivan more and more--the new book is Captain Vorpatril's something-or-another...an Ivan story? Cool. Out in November.
I think I'll put away that E. George mystery. Huge book, not worth the time. I'm having much more fun with Bujold. I have another mystery, with the detective being a medieval abbess from York. Maybe that one next. I used to be able to juggle three or four books at once. My poor brain doesn't seem to have the RAM these days.
I'm supposed to go see The Avengers this afternoon. Maybe. We'll see. My ardor has cooled somewhat.
The season ender of Criminal Minds was whackadoodle good. Just the right mix of mayhem, nervous tension, foreshadowing and heart-warming family stuff. JJ and Will's little boy looked a good deal like #1 did at that age, and in his little suit at their wedding? All too nostalgic and left me a bit teary. Such a lovely send-off for Our Emily too; very reminiscent of her last leaving, echoes of that terrible scene where she slipped away unoticed, but with more regret than remorse this time. She'll probably just be already gone next season, and better that way. I didn't think they dealt well with her return from death, just touching on what must have been a difficult re-adjustment. It would be good fic, but I haven't seen anything like that. CM fic is by and large way too shippy for me. I don't ship anyone except JJ and Will, who are canon and thankfully settled, at least for now.
The Doctor Who references were a bit too over the top I thought, although great fun, and #1 enjoyed the heck out of them. Ahem. Reid? That scarf is not the right colors.
This entry was originally posted at http://vjs2259.dreamwidth.org/264837.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
But my little netbook wouldn't boot, and you may recall my big laptop died several weeks ago. R's laptop was upstairs, and #1's but it just all seemed like too much effort. So I tried to read the new Elizabeth George mystery and watch X-Files (having finally decided to skip Sanguinarium cause ick). The book was pretty bad (I used to really like George but she needs an editor, stat. Plus the characters have morphed into people I don't know and don't particularly like any more. Even Havers, though she's the best of a bad lot.) The X-Files was okay; Krycek is back and I got to see Skinner without his shirt, so not a total loss. The black-eyed stuff freaks me out and made me think of a crossover with Lyta and Krycek and the aliens and the Shadows. But I'm computer-less :(
The last time I had computer trouble I kept writing, on paper, on other's computers, but not this time. I haven't written much at all for a couple of months now. I think it's a downswing or maybe the last petering out I've been dreading but also possibly not.
This morning I got my little Acer to boot up and started my emergency routine. First I off-loaded WIPs that were not backed up anywhere else to a key. Then I set up the portable DVD R got me a while ago (netbooks have no optical drive by and large) and backed-up my files. It's kind of interesting to note the order in which I do this. Most of my files, in number, are text file which are small, in size. I start with the Documents file which has all my writing, tons of research, personal and house stuff-- then the loose bits on the desktop (some of which were the WIPs already saved to my key), then Pictures, and finally the big honking music files. I made myself do those alphabetically so I didn't lose track. The music is the least important since I have burned CDs of most everything on there. It would be a pain to re-rip them but it could be done. I don't listen to music on my netbook much in any case. It's a writing machine first and foremost.
So I need to get that new computer I've been putting off getting. Part of the delay is due to finances. Not that I can pay for it outright in any case, but we have a financed HVAC system that'll be paid off in June (yay!). Part of the delay is havering over make and model. I have three in mind--another HP (which would be a triumph of hope over experience), a Samsung, and an ASUS (late entry but nice). These are all mid-range machines, not too expensive but not cheap either. I've given myself multiple headaches trying to read reviews and piece together the pros and cons of each.
*sigh* I hate decisions like this.
I'm going to try and post the last part of Memory today. It's on my key now so I can do it from R's machine. I put the whole thing up on AO3 already, and the last piece has already been uploaded to ff.net so it's trivial to publish it there. Coincidentally I'm up to Memory in the Vorkosigan saga. I've read this one before, but when I read it before I was missing great tracks of storyline (I'd missed Brothers in Arms and Mirror Dance so Mark who? kept running through my mind.) It's better this way if a bit painful. Miles doesn't go as far down the rabbit hole as I would have in his situation, but he's more manic than depressive so that makes sense. I'm liking Ivan more and more--the new book is Captain Vorpatril's something-or-another...an Ivan story? Cool. Out in November.
I think I'll put away that E. George mystery. Huge book, not worth the time. I'm having much more fun with Bujold. I have another mystery, with the detective being a medieval abbess from York. Maybe that one next. I used to be able to juggle three or four books at once. My poor brain doesn't seem to have the RAM these days.
I'm supposed to go see The Avengers this afternoon. Maybe. We'll see. My ardor has cooled somewhat.
The season ender of Criminal Minds was whackadoodle good. Just the right mix of mayhem, nervous tension, foreshadowing and heart-warming family stuff. JJ and Will's little boy looked a good deal like #1 did at that age, and in his little suit at their wedding? All too nostalgic and left me a bit teary. Such a lovely send-off for Our Emily too; very reminiscent of her last leaving, echoes of that terrible scene where she slipped away unoticed, but with more regret than remorse this time. She'll probably just be already gone next season, and better that way. I didn't think they dealt well with her return from death, just touching on what must have been a difficult re-adjustment. It would be good fic, but I haven't seen anything like that. CM fic is by and large way too shippy for me. I don't ship anyone except JJ and Will, who are canon and thankfully settled, at least for now.
The Doctor Who references were a bit too over the top I thought, although great fun, and #1 enjoyed the heck out of them. Ahem. Reid? That scarf is not the right colors.
This entry was originally posted at http://vjs2259.dreamwidth.org/264837.html. Please comment there using OpenID.